Oh BSE, Oh BSE

Now, for those who doesn't know what BSE is, it stands for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease.  Now since Canada was honest enough back in 2003 to report they found BSE, to appease the other countries in the world, there has been a surveillance program to evaluate the risk of BSE.  So when a cow is down and unable to rise, instead of shoot, shovel and shutup, the vet is called out to shoot, scoop and send out.  We have to take off their heads to get a piece of their brain for testing - yes, our many years of veterinary training has come down to helping the Canadian Food Inspection Agency proving that there is a very low BSE risk in the country, and therefore keeping markets up.  The rancher (in Saskatchewan) gets $75, and the Saskatchewan vet gets $90 to practice his head cutting off skills - and in my area, it barely pays for the gas - I know in Alberta the rancher gets over $200, and unless it changed, the vet also got over $200 to do the job - seemed to be lucrative in the gas province to do-not sure what the other provinces dish out. 

Now that you know the history BSE, perhaps this christmas song will make some sense (and maybe cents if the radio plays it).  Sung to the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree", everybody sing!

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

I have to cut your head right off,

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

A piece of brain I will send off.

Did I go to school for eight long years,

Just to read old tags in ears,

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

Your head will soon be coming off.

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

My knife does not seem very sharp,

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

I couldn't even cut a carp.

If I had brought a butter knife,

I may get this done within this life,

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

Can I get a knife to be Wilkshire sharp?

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

The wind is blowing in my face,

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

The windchill turns things to a race.

My fingers feel like they've been froze,

Along with them there are my toes,

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

The wind chill will pick up my pace.

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

I finally found the vertebrae,

Oh BSE, Oh BSE,

I spooned the piece of brain, HOORAY!

It is safely in a sample cup,

We'll wipe the blood and send it off,

Oh BSE, Oh BSE

Coyotes will drag your head away.